Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1 October 1620 - 18 February 1683) was a popular and prolific Dutch painter.
Born at Haarlem, he received instruction from his father (Pieter Claasz van Haarlem) and from the painters Van Goyen, Jan Wils (c.1610-1666), and Weenix. It is not known why he called himself Berchem (or Berighem, and other variants).
His pictures, of which he produced an immense number (Hofstede de Groot claimed around 850, although many are misattributed), were in great demand, as were also his etchings and drawings. His landscapes are highly esteemed; and many of them have been finely engraved by John Visscher . His finest pictures are at the Amsterdam Museum and at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
Berchem also added the staffage to works of other painters, including Allaert van Everdingen, Jan Hackaert , Meindert Hobbema, Jacob van Ruisdael, and Willem Schellinks .
